Cake of the Day: UFO Cake Pops from ‘Nerdy Nummies’

Every day, Yahoo Food features delectable cakes. They taste good, they look good, and they’re made by good people — talented bakers from around the world. This week we’ll be sharing adorable creations from Rosanna Pansino of the popular YouTube baking channel, Nerdy Nummies and her new cookbook The Nerdy Nummies Cookbook: Sweet Treats for the Geek in All of Us. Check back to Cake of the Day for more geeky desserts!

UFO Cake Pops decorated with candy. (Photograph by Michael Schmidt)

UFO Cake Pops

UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS (UFOS) have fascinated people for generations. A wide range of UFOs appear in many of my favorite science-fiction movies: Independence Day, War of the Worlds, District 9, and countless others! You can use any candy you want to decorate your UFO Cake Pops for the impending taste invasion. The only thing identifiable about these pops is that they’re delicious!

White Cake batter (see recipe below)
6 ounces cream cheese, or 1 tub (16 ounces) buttercream frosting
1 bag (12 ounces) black Candy Melts (Wilton)
1 bag (12 ounces) white Candy Melts (Wilton)
Black licorice gumdrops
Small candy-coated chocolates (M&M’s Minis): red, blue, green, orange, and yellow
9 x 13-inch metal baking pan Baking sheetLollipop sticksFoam block

Bake the White Cake batter in a 9 x 13-inch metal baking pan as directed. Let the cake cool completely in the pan.

In a bowl, crumble the cake with your fingers.

Add the cream cheese or frosting and mix until evenly combined. (Use cream cheese if you like your cake pops more tart or use the frosting if you like them sweeter.)

Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Roll the mixture into balls (about 11/2 inches in diameter) and place them on the lined baking sheet [Image A].

Flatten the balls into thick disks [Image B].

Refrigerate the cake disks for 30 minutes to set.

Time to decorate!:
In the microwave or a double boiler, melt the white and black Candy Melts together to make a light gray color (I use a ratio of 4 white to 1 black).

Dip the end of the lollipop sticks into the gray melts to help act as an adhesive and press the sticks halfway into the cake disks [Image C].

Dip the cake pops into the gray melts, making sure to cover completely. Let the excess candy drip back into the bowl [Image D]. Stand the dipped pops in a foam block to dry.

While the candy melt coating on the pop is still wet, place a black licorice gumdrop on the top of each pop [Image E].

Dab a small amount of gray candy onto the back of the M&M’s and carefully place around the sides of the cake pops as lights [Image F].

Photograph by Michael Schmidt

White Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 stick (4 ounces) salted butter, at room
temperature
? cup solid vegetable shortening
11/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
? teaspoon almond extract
5 large egg whites
? cup whole milk

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch metal baking pan and line the
bottom with parchment paper. (Or see the cupcake variation below.)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the butter and shortening until softened. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts.

Add the egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

On low speed, alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk to the butter
mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Tap the bottom of the pan on the work surface to get rid of any air bubbles.

Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.

Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. If necessary, loosen the cake from the sides of the pan with a small knife. Carefully flip the cake upside down onto the wire rack, peel off the parchment paper, and then turn the cake right side up onto the rack to cool completely.

Reprinted with permission from Nerdy Nummies by Rosanna Pansino (Atria Books).

For more awesome cake inspiration, visit our Cake of the Day Pinterest board and get to pinning!

More delicious cakes that bring out your inner geek:

Geode Candy Cupcakes from ‘Nerdy Nummies’

Comic Book POP Cake

Test Tube Twinkies Cake